New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-31
TRUE SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.
WHY THE MUSEUMS SHOULD BE CLOSED

I
! PEOPLE !
The Rev. DR.. Wilbur F. Watkins. of the Church a
the Holy Trinity, took his text from Isaiah lvi q es
ttrdsy, and he said in his sermon:
The subject OF Sunday observance 10 one to which
much attention has OF late years been called and Il
one which ought to be carefully considered because
affects the principles and duty of Christian people,
If the Sabbath be Divine institution binding upon al
it is not 10 be lightly esteemed; if an ordinance OF maA
or appointed by the Church, II can be altered. I've
principles are before When the law appointed
and has been repealed In other words do We
find il as Divine ordinance before Mosrs and stt6s
Christi The Sabbath instituted before the lsV
was given to Moses The writer Of the Hebrews sayQ
that God did rest on the seventh day The inspired
author appeals to GENESIS, rot to Exodns. we ma
by the seven-day divisions and before the law was
given the Israeies refrained from gathering mamie
that In the command given to Moses 1t was the point
Of our Lords teaching that 1t was not made for the
Jews OF Genties but for man universal. Ibeg you =
notice this fact that IL the seventh day In relatioa
to Gods work. but it the first in re.a:iOn to name
life. The first dag Of Adams first week was the Sab
bath.
Mans position on ia, earth varies so that all can.
not observe the same niy-four hours, bnt every
moral purpose is satisfied with the conservation offs
seventh day to God The spirit of the command goes
before the strictness Of the letter The question 70
asked Has not our Lord weakened the obligation to
the Sabbath day He has cleared the of the super
siitious abuse of the Pharsecs. His word only con-
firms tho Divine command But is not ST. Paul quoted
on the repeal Of the Sabbath Let no man judge you'll
respect to holy day You estsbl h .
truth by taking single text lie says these things
shadow of things 70 come. Paul has spoken OF the
things TO come which were of Christ; when the body
came the shadow passed away But has the substance
Sabbath is therefore shadow of good Things to
The altar and sacrifice have passed away because Jesus
has perfected one sacrifice for all But there is tho
Sabbath like the beautiful in the armament Of the
Church. pointing to the coming day. am far from say
ing the Sabbath is day Of dleness II is for rest
needed by all ~ the poor mans RELEASES from labor
the rich mans release from anxiety The Sabbath y
intended for the whole nature OF manbody soul and
spirit The day given by Sod must be received as from
God and held TO its true purpose.
AS rest for the whole and the intended effect Of
the Sabbath may hereby determine certain vexed
questions. I think you will consent that pleasure
hunting is not recreation. So a taking long walk
Oh the Sabbath day Is not rested refreshed main
tain God did not intend it to be dull day He means
rule the best pleasures are The weekly day Of
rest given to and we have no right to make
them labor for particular class. Necessary work Il.
lawful TO do relieve the distress satisfy the ants OF
Others but deprive any class of the day OF rest that
particular class may have pleasure Is not right
object TO the opening of the museums the Lords
day do moi AJAX The authorities to enforce any reig
ious of the day but Tor day OF rest ana
refreshment If the principle be admitted that 1t
allow the people to decide what kind Of amusement
1t is hard draw any line between museums lectures
or concerts and then there will come the balls races
and theatres. How is this to be decided These must
have some voice in the matter While the plea Is made
for the working classes every class in the community
will take advantage of it, When the open
for 36j DAYS it will not he asked if they belong 10 those
who cannot come other days ana all the years are
one uninterrupted round of pleasure. plead not for
the priesthood plead for the people. am not adVo-
eating the cause Of the Church plead for the country
For the sake of future geGeaOns for our homes sake
for tho sake of all hold dear, let us observe tho
weekly day of Should it to be sacred and be-
come secular holiday instead of holy day, then we
may see the writing our legislativ halls. Meme,
meme tekel Upharsin.' From such may God save u.s.
NEW LIFE THROUGH CHI list.
The Rev. George T. Bowling. of Cleveland occupied
the pulpt in the Madison Avenue Baptist Church. and
said in part:
The disciple John had a dwelling in Jerusalem
After the DAYS work he invited Christ home with him;
the evening meal being over they retire 70 the guest
chamber on the low Hat roof Ii is cool evening in
April Only the Roman sentinels a. they pass TO aud
fro on their rounds to be seen IN the streets, OF
woman the mill grinding the grain for the morrow
There gropes along the dark street. drawing one
corner OF his mautle mp so to hide his iace he Is
afraid of meeting who will recognize him.
lie climbs up the outer stairway 10 the guest chahper
of Johns dwelling and there stands Christ, the lowy
Nazarene the Holy One of God and the learned Nico-
demus q ruler of the Jews, the only one of them who
ever came to Jesus Surely Christ will not ask such
man NicOdemus any questions. lie Will ne hohorea
by coming to him; what an acquisition 10 TINS
Nazarene what an influence l. Nicodemus, VIII gave
him. mentally thinks the learned Hebrew. Every one
will ask Have YOU heard of the latest acquisition To
the numbers of the Nazarenel Ncodemus, DID,,
LII d. has Joined his followers. What an impulse has
/" But the Nazarene not dismayed at his great
display OF self-conhdcnce. He asoDished Ncodemus
by telling him he must be born from above Christ
does stop to prove that man sinful that he has
This his prr-shppositions aud is proved
by mans daily life. Go among them and study their
daily ie their dealings with another and this
will be proved. The ling point was not that Christ
would thus speak to a common man. but to Nicodemus
"A member OF the Sanhedrin, learned man, student
OF the law and prophets, ID. d., LLD.that he would
tell Nieodemus that he dead and must he born
from above; that he needs new lite What is DEATH
Ii is Responsiveness. This is not literal death, but
an rresponsveness to what is higher, nobler, which
Christ brought with him, an emblem Of what would be
his lot il he did not become new creature Thus such
is dead while he lives, for he Is irresponsive to
the elev atiDg ennobling sensations caused by tho
beauty o. the sunset the stars, the enchanting sublime
ity of nature. blind Gold hearing desert 2on OF
glorious sunset and the sky described crimson,
asked ii crimson hard or soft. The blind cannot
comprehend ,hese beauties-they are fooiishness 10
them he is dead 10 them.
@Tbjs teaches us that far above the highest pure,t
life any one lives outside OF Christ there life which
we may enter and in that spiritual world we may CON-
nune with Christ He says to you who have been
blessed with plenty that you live in death If you do
not enter this higher sphere and bless those who have
mott mean higher in aesthetics, art literature, music,
YEA Christian life. He bids all enter here. TX
Nicodemus needed 10 be born again so do we. There
il that above waiting tor rs II we will have It, All
higher life comes from above That which Is born OF
stone is stone of the rose is rose tree Is panted'
il takes up the gases, from the earth and cou-
verts them to its own They have been born from
above and changed into wood leaves and flowers.
Like produces like Apple Is appfe-rose, rose-fesh
is fesh May we then be born Of God-be raised by
Him into that higher plane where Christ wants to lift
u.s. Nav we be born from above-changed rs those
gases into wood leaves, 6owers-into strong. yisor-
ous healthy Christians. Oh what grand opportunity
Tor us TO enter this higher sphere Christ waits to me
Us up into it let consent to be born again !"
REVIVAL MEETINGS IN METHODIST CHrRcH
revival has been in progress since the beginning of
the new year IN the Bedford Street Methodist Episeo
pal Church, of which tho Rev. DR.. John L. Goodman
is the pastor Meetings have been held every evening
except saturday and have been largely attended The
of these special services has been the CONVEX
sion of many persons who presented themselves at tho
altar Yesterday aud mars ed interest among the meme
hers of the church Instead OF the regular Sunday
SERMON from the pastor the service was conducted oy
the official brethren under the leadership of Mr..
who with others made addresses After ths
reception of several new converts into tho church.